Brimbank wracked up a total of $99,189,132 in outstanding warrants for the financial year ending June 30, 2017.
The figure, the fourth highest for Victorian local government areas, is made up of outstanding fines and infringement notices.
Brimbank has a total of 29,175 defendants and 251,280 warrants issued during the period, the third and fourth highest ranked in Victoria respectively.
Victorian Sheriff Warwick Knight said it was important to deal with fines quickly.
“It is important to deal with your fines as soon as possible to avoid additional penalties and the infringement becoming a warrant,” he said. “People who receive a fine can request an internal review, nominate a driver, apply for a payment plan or elect to have the matter heard by the court.
“We encourage them to come and speak to us about their options.”
While Brimbank ranked high on the list, the figures show Victorians received fewer infringements and finalised more outstanding warrants in the past financial year.
In total, there were 115,705 fewer infringements issued in 2016-17 than in the previous financial year.
The number of outstanding infringements dropped by almost 13 per cent, while 441,000 warrants were finalised by sheriff’s officers.
The total value of outstanding warrants across Victoria in 2016-17 was $2 billion, with the top three local government areas for outstanding debt including Casey, Hume, and Frankston.
Mr Knight said changes to the system had made it easier for people to deal with fines.
“We are making it easier for people to deal with their fines, with a range of new options which commenced on January 1 as part of reforms to Victoria’s infringements/fines system,” he said.
If a person can’t pay their fine by the due date, they can request to pay by instalments or seek an extension of time to pay.
People can also apply to Fines Victoria to consolidate their fines into a single payment arrangement.
Details: 1300 743 743
